Spring is in the Air and Monthly Mingle 11 Theme

I'd say Spring IS in the Air! We have over 60 entries this round and truly a sign that Spring is being celebrated all over the World. I was so glad you all took part in this round. You made some fresh and creative dishes using some lovely spring produce. We have everything from asparagus to strawberries from tarts to ice-cream. My advice: Bookmark this page because you'll want to make some of these dishes throughout the coming weeks.

Before I give you the roundup though, let's first see what's in store for the next month. June is a special month for me. You see it's my birthday month! Furthermore, in one of her mails to me, the lovely Isis reminded me that is was a year ago that I held the first mingleever. So, to celebrate this I thought I'd invite you all to the biggest Birthday party ever.

I'm having a Birthday party and would like to invite anyone who can create a dish specially for me! My regular readers and friends know what I love, those of you new here, make a special something to surprise me. Whatever you do make it just for me! Bring cakes, pastries, cocktails, tarts or pies all filled with love and affection. My table is huge but empty. Come on over to Meeta's "Big Birthday Bang!"

I'd like to remind those taking part to please check these guideline carefully and when you send your emails to make sure all the required details are included. Also please check the permalinks you are sending (a few were broken or incorrect).

Here's how it works:

Create a dish that fits this theme. Blog about it anytime from now till June 6th, 2007.

Email your entry with

your name

the name of your blog

name of dish

your permalink

by June 6th, 2007.

In your post please include a link to this post and/or the MM logo, so your readers get a chance to mingle with us.

Please send only one entry per blog. If you do not have a blog, simply email your entry, with a picture (if you would like me to add a picture) to blogmeeta@gmail.com.

Although it's great to get entries from all over the world I have to insist that they be in English. If you have a Blog in another language I would kindly like to request you to post your entries in English as well.

Now let's see what's been cooking in the Spring kitchens!

Updated May 13th: Kuechenlatein:Asparagus Cream Pasta"Spring means for me rhubarb and asparagus. May, 6th was Tag des offenen Hofes -"Day of open farms" We visited an asparagus producing farm and I bought some fresh green asparagus."

Jugalbandi: Papaya-Green Apple Salsa"...the papaya. Above all, it reminds us of spring.Like spring, orange stands for energy, the affirmation of life, flamboyance. It blends the brazen physicality of red with the vibrancy and celebration of yellow. It is the colour of ripe produce and reawakened appetites."

Aroma!: Pasta Primavera"I used all kinds of veggies I could find in my fridge and freezer to make this dish."

Crazy Curry: Spring Sienna"Strawberries hold a special place in my list of favorite fruits. It was during my visit to Mahableshwar, an amazing place near Pune, I was introduced to them. Earlier I was under the impression that strawberries are just found in books and are as rare as Willow trees."

Always Room For Dessert: Springtime Quinoa Salad" When I arrived at the produce store, I found fava beans, yet another unfamiliar ingredient. I promptly bagged a pound of beans and placed them in my basket. So what if I had no idea how to prepare them; the internet is a wonderful resource."

Janet is Hungry: Asparagus and Strawberry Pizza"I would also like to stick my tongue out at my friend Bill, who says that "fruit does not belong on a Pizza" :-P"

Mane Adige: Strawberry Mousse"Few of our friends went Strawberry Picking over the weekend and got us a huge bowl of fresh strawberries. Every time I get strawberries in huge quantities, I end up losing half of them as you cant store them for more than 2 days. So, this time I made a puree out of it immediately and stored it in the refrigerator."

FoodFreak: Spring-Fennel,-Arugula-and-Smoked-Trout-Salad"What actually did spring towards me (pun intended) was fresh arugula (rocket for those who rather have it British) and luscious, round, bright light green fennel bulbs,..."

Spices of Kerala: Sparkling Peach Melba"The vibrant colors around bring enthusiasm. Time to go fresh fruit picking and getting dirt under your nails and then a refreshing drink to cool off."

Sreelu's Tasty Travels: Navel Orange Ice Cream Cups"For today's recipe I celebrate the arrival of warm weather and a Californian native Naval Oranges,this recipe will add the oomph and wow factor to any party be it in a park on an a beach or at home. Very light and refreshing with bursting citrus flavor."

The Cooker: Fava Bean Salad"In the pre-CSA days, I'd look at kale, the different types of chards, fava beans but I'd pass them saying 'I'll get them next time'....which never came.I was mainly apprehensive of them fitting in my Indian-Maharashtrian kitchen.But once I started getting these vegetables in my CSA-bag, I was forced to use them...forced to think outside the box (bag).

Mele Cotte: Asparagus Tart"The end result was so light and fluffy...a perfect dish for a brunch."

One Hot Stove: Spicy Thai Linguine"from the rows and rows and rows of colorful produce, I bought green beans and yellow peppers, asparagus, zucchini, mustard greens, and bags and bags of other fruits and vegetables."

Yambalaya: Spanakopitta"a warm dish with Spinach, fetah cheese, fyllo dough, all ingredients that remind me of summer to come and holidays in Greece."

Feeding My Enthusiasms: Spring Strawberries with Yogurt and Lemon Zest"My hands smell of lemon and I love it. I just finished zesting some lemon zest, thin yellow slivers floating down onto creamy yogurt. That can happen easily during the rest of the year, but what makes this memorable is that under the lemon zest and the tangy plain yogurt (well, I did mix a little honey into it) is a big fat bowl of fresh, regional strawberries, just bursting with spring flavor"

For the love of Food: Spring Salad"Eat it by itself, with a grilled chicken breast, cold, or room temperature - it doesn’t matter - it’s excellent any way you decide to eat it!"

Cooking in Westchester: Springy Salad"Spring has crept up on me as it always does. Especially given the weird weather (at least in NY), it is even harder to discern. One day, I have this balmy weather, the next day snow, then 80F heat. Anyhow, I think we are really into the warmer weather . The flowers are out in my garden, nothing gives me greater joy than the cherry blossom, in full bloom as we speak."

Tartelette: Vanilla Cardamom Ice Cream"I love spring and since I moved to SC I have been deprived of it. Scorching hot summers and mellow winters, but no spring, and don't get me started on fall!"

Live to Eat: Blackberry Mojito"You can make umpteen variations of this by adding any fruits of your desire. I will share the tried and tested recipe for a classic Mojito and a variation using blackberries."

Ahaar: Simple Spring Salad"Along with gorgeous weather, the Farmers market's will be open in Buffalo soon. I love the fresh local ingredients we can use all through the summer."

Mishmash!: Mango Sorbet"Somewhere I read that mangoes are the "food of Gods!" Wonder how lucky Gods are"

Paulchen's Foodblog: Strawberry Lassi"When I was a child we had those little berries called “Walderdbeeren” - woodland strawberry - spread all over our garden and it was my greatest pleasure to stroll around the garden and pick each and every of the delicious fruits …"

Trembom: Mango Mint and Farro Salad"I love having loads of salad at this time of the year. Fresh herbs. Fruit.Berries, berries, berries."

TriniGourmet: Broccoli with Orange Sauce"...it really was lovely to see the earth spring back to life, bringing with it lots of young vegetables and fresh flavours."

An Italian in the US: Ricette di Primavera"In the past few weeks I bought some typical springtime products: asparagus and artchokes. So I decided I will post the recipes of what the really simple dishes I made with them..."

San Lorenzo's Kitchen: Strawberries with Balsamic vinegar and basil"The tangy flavor of the vinegar perfectly plays with your tongue, while the fresh outburst of the basil is amazingly highlighting the sweetness of the strawberries! A perfect mix!"

The Kitchen Pantry: Asparagus Soup"...asparagus are THE spring vegetable, and as we are deeply in to spring and soon even the asparagus season will be over, let's make something with them!I personally love them just steamed,..."

Smita Serves You Right: Squash and tomatoes with bulghur"A whole week of gorgeous weather! (Gasp) Such good fortune! The sun has been shining benignly. The air is sweet and crisp. Magnolia blossoms quaver modestly, fragile white and satin smooth. Tulips nod in the wind, vivid and friendly."

The Well Seasoned Cook: Avocado Soup"I could never live in the tropics, as gorgeous as they are. I am so accustomed to the four uniquely beautiful seasons I enjoy now that my circadian rhythms would be permanently derailed."

Swad: Strawberry Banana Smoothie"The trees were gifted back their dresses, the birds came out of their hiding places, the flowers smiled and welcomed spring, and we could finally go out without jackets Spring for me = vibrant colors."

Küchendunst aus Singapur: Strawberry Tart"Here in Singapore almost everything is imported sometimes even airflown. Most time of the year we can chose our "culinary-seasons". But it is not an easy task to prepare something with the needed ingredients when it comes to your mind to make this or that."

A Mad Tea Party: Mint and Walnut Chutney"If anyone likes warmer weather it is my potted mint. After looking sad all winter it perks up at the sight of spring. As the bright green leaves begin to grow they find their way into a lot of things in my kitchen..."

The Food Philosophy: Sea bass with samphire and pink fir potatos"I found some lovely samphire in the market, perfect just steamed with lashings of butter. Samphire grows on shorelines and salt mudflats and has a distinctive fresh crisp flavour."

A Veggie Venture: Steamed Leeks with Chopped Eggs"Cleaning the leeks, I wondered, what does raw leek taste like? So I tasted a bit: Whoooah, talk about serious onion flavor, not entirely pleasant."

Bong Mom's Cook: Mango Pudding"Mango Pudding is the easiest dessert that you can whip up when you have 20 guests over for dinner and you have already cooked 5 dishes and 2 appetizers."

A Few of my Favorite Things: Mushroom Tart"In some parts of the world spring is in the air and an abundance of delights such as strawberries and asparagus can be found in the markets. In my part of the world however the leaves are changing colours and being shed in preparation for winter but other things are springing up everywhere - mushrooms!"

Spicy Andhra: Strwaberry Meringue Nests"With so many fresh fruit and Vegetables in the markets, its wonderful to pick those vibrant and deep coloured fruits and try something simple."

Erin's Kitchen: Spring Peas, Onions, and Artichokes with Lemon Basil"At the Sunday Hollywood Market, I filled my bag with baby purple artichokes, sweet peas, spring onions and lemon basil. They all made their way into a simple spring braise last night, pea pods and all."

As Dear As Salt: Fresh Fruit Crudite"Spring brings with it a bounty of beautiful fresh fruit and I like to enjoy it just as nature gifted it to us, pure and fresh!"

Andhra Food Network: Spinach Fry"Do you have anyone in your house who don't like leafy vegetables, here is an easy but healthy recipe which tastes good..."

AkshayaPatra: Mango Peanut Chutney"This time of year in India, the air is filled with the heady aroma of mangoes..."

The Spice Kitchen: All in One Pizza"That’s seasons for us……. summer in the morning, monsoon in the afternoon and then winter (hardly!!) by night. Spring?? Always!!! 365 days a year!!!"

Indian Food Rocks: Very Berry Shrikhand"Shrikhand was never my favorite either. Till I had the adulterated version: the one with fruit in it. I became an instant convert! And that's what I made the other day. To rejoice in the fresh flavors that spring brings to the land."

Ms Adventures in Italy: Strawberry Semifreddo"There are so many fresh ingredients to use I have to hold myself back from buying too much at the open-air market near my house."

Nook & Pantry: Strawberry Lemon Bars"It marks the end of the long and dreary Seattle winter and welcomes an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. The other day I picked up some lots of strawberries; four pounds to be exact!"

What's For Lunch, Honey: Roasted Asparagus with Poached Eggs"For me the epitome of spring food - Asparagus. Every year as spring arrives, I impatiently wait as the stores and the Farmer's Market laden their crates and shelves with this delicate vegetable."

Thanks so much for this wonderful round-up, Meeta! But can I make one suggestion for making an awesome round-up even better? Maybe you could arrange the entries in categories such as salads and desserts? It would make it easier to find recipes to try out. Thanks!

great round up ..loads would be my my side ..bec my mom,dad,my brother and my husbands birthday all fall in the last week of this month ..so i am sure to send you the entries..Thankyou so much for hosting this event

What a wonderful mingle.Loved the idea. And I have already decided on a few dishes. Oh God, I have to choose..i wanted to apologize for missing the spring mingle.Really wanted to take part but work has been so horribly manic - very long days..Hopefully back to some sort of normality now.Well, let me go and write down some of my ideas for you.My birhday is in June too - first day of the Summer/summer solstice..great date to celebrate!!

Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hello, I am Meeta a freelance food photographer, stylist and writer living in the cuturally rich city of Weimar, Germany with my husband and our son, where I enjoy preparing multi-cultural home cooked meals with fresh organic ingredients. What's for lunch, Honey? is my award winning food blog where I combine my love for food with my love for photography and styling...